Sunday, January 18, 2009

For those of you who are new to my blog, I always go through the comments for the week and pick out the questions to answer on Sunday. Here are your questions...

I can't wait to hear the responses to your "never" disciplining your kids ;) You realize you'll spend most of the week clearing up that statement, right?LOL! That's what I thought too, but no one said a thing. I guess everyone knows I'm sometimes a tiny bit sarcastic.

I really appreciate how consistent you are about being non-judgmental; thank you for being sounding board for me on this. Here's the follow-up question to the prayer post: If someone were to spend all that time on the phone, or watching TV, or whatever else their interest may be, would that change your response? Not that I would ever expect you to condemn anyone, that's not like you. Mary Wesley spent 17 hours a day in prayer--different strokes for different folks. But, if a stay-at-home mom said she spent 17 hours a day watching TV leaving the kids with the instructions they weren't to bother her, would your reaction be different?You mean, you're not supposed to spend 17 hours a day on the computer???Are any of your kids left handed?Nope. (Despite Joe's grand plan to teach them to pitch both righty and lefty)

I can really see the weight loss in your face! You look great! What are you doing? (Exercise or starving?)More starving than exercising, I'm afraid. And why is it that you always lose weight in your face first? Why can't it come off our butts first? So not fair.

Or you could just ask all the Australians to chip in and buy you a vacation...[in regards to our -20 temps here]Oh, now that sounds like a good idea! I'd really love to visit Australia sometime!

Have you ever heard of a song sung by the Beastie boys called, "No sleep til Brooklyn"? (I only know this song through the Guitar Hero which is played daily by my 14 yr old). Everytime I hear the chorus (screaming) "No...sleep...til Brooklyn...(and I always add...gets out of my bed!)", I think of you and your Brooklyn... How in the world do you have your little one sleeping in your bed night after night???? Is Joe really, really cranky that y'all don't have your nights alone without kids? How do you do that???LOL, yep I know the song. (My kids are impressed with how many songs I know on Guitar Hero!) And it's really not an issue.

Can you believe he'll [Clay] be in kindergarten next year?That one doesn't floor me as much as the fact that Austin will be in HIGH SCHOOL next year!

I have been a long-time fan of yours and have a question for your Sunday Sound Out. Rumor has it you bought something REALLY, REALLY, REALLY cool this weekend and I wanted to ask you if you would share it with your readers for Sunday Sound Out so you can inform them. I'm sure all your readers would be dying to know what this great new product is, just like I am dying to know what it could possibly be! Thanks, and I love you. I love your blog! I love your kids! I love how you named them all after really cool countries from amazing places all over the world! I love that you're so funny! I love that scarf you wear. Oh wait, that's another blogger. I just love you and can't wait for you to become a New York Times Bestseller. Signed Your #1 Fan!Gee, I wonder Manic who could have Manic written this Manic anonymous comment. OK, OK, I broke down and got a stupid neti pot. Happy now, Manic? And no I didn't drown despite my fear of purposely pouring salt water up my nose. And yes, I can breathe. I can totally breathe. I have nothing dripping down the back of my throat. My sinuses are so clear. I never even realized I couldn't breathe before. I admit - it's pretty amazing. I'm hooked. OK Stephanie? Now the world knows I pour salt water up my nose in a very disgusting manner. And no, there is no flipping way I'm making a video out of it!

Did they manage to take any pictures of Brooklyn? She looked SO cute, I'd hate to think that she was left out!They got a few of Savannah and Joe holding her, I think. I imagine their art department can do amazing things with the pictures and probably make her look like she was right there with the rest of them.

With each of the photo shoots you've had done, I've noticed that it is always just you and the kids. Does Joe ever feel offended that he is not included in any of the photo shoot pictures? I understand that they do that because you write about being a mother, so it makes sense that it is just you and the kids, but I was just wondering if your husband cares?Joe was there and had his picture taken just like everyone else. I think he was only left out once, but I don't think he really cared.

How did you achieve that transformation in 30 minutes? [cleaning the boys' room]I'm a trained professional.

You have to put a post about your technique!! Tell us, please tell us, how you do it in 1/2 hr!!![cleaning the boys' room]I start at one end of the room and toss everything that isn't where it's supposed to be into a huge pile on the floor. Then I sort through the stuff, throw out all the crap, and put everything else where it belongs. Ta da.

On another note, please take the 5 minutes to check out that fairy site that someone mentioned. I need to know if it is the major sinus infection that is clouding my judgement - but that site was BEYOND WEIRD and really funny! I thought it was a SNL spoof! No kid I know would listen to that crazy, scary lady for more than 1 minute! She has a secret list she gives Santa? She leaves things in your room? Bizarre!Lucille http://www.housefairy.org/kids.phpOH. MY. GOSH. It's not just the sinus infection! I think that may have just replaced Yo Gabba Gabba as the creepiest thing I've ever seen. (If that's what you use and it works for you, then great. But when I showed my kids the video, they laughed so hard, I thought they might need medical attention!)

Are those plastic test tubes and bible buddies from the PowerLab VBS program?Yup!

Yahoo, Dawn! Another convert to the neti pot society! I swear, it's magic. In the two years I've been using mine I've had ONE cold. And, said cold barely lasted for one day. Seriously, this contraption is the best.Lisa T.

Hey there, I'm flipping through my Good Housekeeping that came a week or so ago, and you know that part where they feature a mom blog (towards the BACK of the mag), well imagine my suprise to find my favorite mom blogger there! I read you faithfully, you didn't mention you'd be featured in GH did you?

Oh sure... you buy and use a neti pot. So when're you going to visit the chiropractor? ;)

OH! And my husband had a plan that Mister Man was going to be a left handed middle reliever (in baseball, you can totally suck as a pitcher if you are left handed and can eat innings and have a really long career earning nice money). Both he and I are left handed. Mister Man? Right handed. Little Miss? Left handed. Or ambidextrous, I'm not positive yet.

Ok, I agree... Austin going to high school is more freakout worthy. You can't possibly be old enough to have a high schooler. I'm just not in that realm of thinking yet :)

I've been "on the pot" now for about two years. LOVE IT. When I'm really stuffy or messed up, I use three times in a row. You would not believe the stuff that comes out after the third time in a row. The third time really is the charm in this case.

OMG! I tried the neti pot, did not love it, though. It did clear out some of the congestion, however, I coughed a lot. I was worried I got fluid in my lungs and would die from some wierd infection or something.

My daughter said I must have been really congested since the fluid seemed to want to go down my throat and not out the other nostril like it was supposed to. Next time I think I'll stick with steam and the good ole tissues. LOL!

LOL! I must be the only person on earth that has no idea what a neti pot is. Although, based on the comments I have read I am pretty sure I would like to remain oblivious. I am pleased to say I never, ever get sick -- hence the neti pot ignorance.

I am from CT, and it snows here constantly. My motto for this winter is "snow is stupid!" My 13 year old son was quite impressed that I was willing to say and write the word "stupid!"

Who says you can't do other things while you pray? No matter how many hours you pray? I don't get it, but that's not a first.:) Seriously, I pray almost continuously when no one else is home, and only around 60 minutes of that is done where I can't do other things, and that's only because I journal my quiet time in the morning and do a little Bible study along with it. My kids are grown and I'm semi-retired, so I have that leisure (quiet time was 30 min. max and I got up 1/2 hour earlier than normal when the kids were home and/or I worked), but I still fix meals, wash dishes, clean house, do volunteer work, have hobbies, etc. and pray all the way. Prayer on the fly is not a sacrilege, but a conversation with the One who made you, and He's always there, so you talk to Him, just like you would anyone else who lived in your home. :)I'll hop off my soap box now. I can oly add, I had to go there out of curiosity and I agree - the fairy IS scary!

I bought a neti pot and it sat for months before I worked up courage to use it. When I tried it with plain water it stung and brought tears to my eyes. So then it sat some more. I googled around and learned some more. Then I used filtered water and added the neti pot salt and voila! it worked--with no sting.

Now, I pour water through my nose just like you, and don't feel a bit bad. It works.